Augie, Adam LZ & The BMX Generation Gap

by adam | September 28, 2015

(This is an article that has been stewing around in my head for the past week or two but which I finally decided to write this morning while prepping for the TCU TV episode that I will be filming with Augie tonight. I will be getting his side of things on the show, but these are my thoughts on the topic prior to having spoke to Augie)

The BMX Internet exploded last Wednesday when it was announced that Adam LZ had been added to the Stranger team. Just a few hours later, Augie Simoncini quit in response, going so far as to include a #FUCKSTRANGERCO hashtag. On one hand this was a fairly obvious turn of events that anyone could have predicted. But I think that when we look at the evolution of BMX sponsorships over history, it will become clear that this was a seminal moment for BMX, whether you like the direction we’re going or not. I’ve often spoke of the “BMX generation gap” but I’ve never seen such a clear representation of the two warring sides until now.

On one side we have Augie, a traditionalist, a street rider, a set up oriented street rider at that. He smokes weed, drinks beer and doesn’t try to hide it. At 28, he’s a bit older than the average BMX consumer.

On the other hand we have Adam LZ. At just 20 years of age, Adam is a relative neophyte. He started off making videos of him and his friends riding bikes, much like any kid with a video camera might do and then slowly developed a fan base that compounded upon itself. It is now easy to make the argument that he is the most well known BMX rider in the world and having been to many BMX events with him, I can vouch for the fact that he is easily just as popular if not more so than top BMX pros. While LZ is capable of filming full length video parts, that’s not his specialty. He is an expert at going to the skatepark with his friends (or his now omnipresent girlfriend Nicole) and for better or for worse, making you feel like you’re there. If you watch enough LZ videos, you start to feel like these people are your friends and as a result, you want to see Spencer pull that switch whip. The same awkwardness and zany attitude that LZ gives off, which presumably turns off many older viewers, endears his younger viewers to him.

Augie is of my generation and as such, he makes sense to me. As a rider he fits nicely into the pro rider archetype laid out before him by guys like Edwin. He’s humble. He socially networks enough to get by, but not too much. He lets his riding speak for him. He films crazy rail tricks and then deliver them to the world in the form of a full length video part every couple years. For a long time, every pro rider seemed to fit into a similar box.

Adam LZ is interesting because his very existence (and his overwhelming popularity) suggests to everyone paying attention that the BMX industry has been getting it very wrong, for a very long time. The average BMX consumer is a teenager. They care about stuff like high school, acne, getting a girlfriend and going to the skatepark, all topics which Adam LZ covers from a truly authentic perspective. Augie is the kind of guy that the average 16 year old BMX kid might want to be when he’s 28, but 16 year olds don’t typically think that far ahead. Adam LZ is who they want to be right now, or at least he’s interesting enough to keep them entertained.

The LZ phenomenon has also taken place without any support from the BMX industry (until now) or the BMX media. Aside from the 3 interviews (this old one, his first TCU TV and the new one) and the webisode content we’ve done with LZ over the years, it’s hard to think of a time that anyone in the BMX media world has promoted Adam in any way. But it hasn’t mattered one bit. Adam’s reach is now dramatically larger than any of those same media outlets. Adam’s existence suggests inconclusively that BMX media has become so personalized by the advent of social media that the cold-eyed traditional BMX media companies might now be all but irrelevant. Your legacy brand might now be more liability than strength. While BMX magazines and videos once got to call the shots on what was cool and what wasn’t, LZ’s success proves that those gatekeepers (both brands and media entities) no longer hold the same weight that they once did.

It’s also worth mentioning that nearly everyone in the BMX media world has tried their own version of LZ’s content and they have pretty much unanimously failed. I’ll save myself some beef by not linking to some of the more hilarious examples, but it says a lot that Scotty Cranmer, a massive name in BMX hasn’t yet reached 10,000 views on his new webisode while LZ has almost 400,000 on this video of him and his girlfriend from a week ago:

—

So yeah, Augie and LZ are very different people with very different outlooks on what it is to be a BMX rider. There’s 2 sides to every coin, right? Shouldn’t BMX be open minded enough to accept that both sides can co-exist? I expect that in time that will be the case, but the 872 comments on Augie’s public resignation letter suggest that the BMX world is going to have a hard time getting used to LZ and the new generation he represents.

Where is this bile coming from? On the surface it seems like quite a bit of that hate is directed at LZ himself. For all his positive traits, LZ just seems to annoy the older BMX crowd. He’s a relentless self promoter. He’s hyper. He talks, a lot. LZ gets hate from the prior generation in a way that his contemporary Josh James (who invented the webisode and who makes very similar videos to LZ’s) doesn’t get because Josh quite frankly just has a little more tact. He too makes webisodes about his car, but he expresses a little bit less glee than LZ throughout them. So on one hand, this is a personal problem. A lot of those 872 comments are from people who quite frankly just don’t like LZ.

Undoubtedly some people are just upset seeing the Stranger team, which once appeared to be a very tight, unified group, turn into something different. Stranger has been through quite a few incarnations throughout its existence and while many of those changes were made with relatively little fanfare (Charlie Crumlish and Craig Passero transitioned smoothlyonto the S&M team, Zach Krejmas moved on to Volume etc), some people take LZ’s addition to mean that the Stranger team is now devoid of any substance. Rich Hirsch told me that he didn’t view this as the decimation of the OG Stranger team, just an addition of somebody different to stay diverse and move the brand forward. I believe him, but clearly, Augie and whoever started a message board thread calling Rich a “horrible person” either didn’t get the memo or disagree.

It seems to me that a lot of that anger is coming from people who see this as the end of an era of professional BMX that they loved. And perhaps they’re right, because we’ve already seen some pretty huge changes in what it is to be a BMX pro over the past couple years. The average pro is now expected to Instagram himself nearly daily, shout out his sponsors, re-post content and basically just do whatever possible to help out the brand. This is a relevantly recent change, one that might have seemed like anathema to the average BMX pro just a few short years ago. But we live in a fast paced world where the rules of the digital playground are still being established and refined, and there will certainly be more changes to come as social networking matures and brands seek to better navigate the post-magazine media landscape.

—

BMX progression is far from peaking, but it seems possible that the audience’s ability to comprehend and appreciate that progress might have peaked a few years back. The same strides in street riding that drove BMX sales up in the early 2000’s might now be a sticking point. We see it all the time now where amazing BMX riding come out online to relatively little fanfare. Usually this happens because the audience, the people who might potentially click, don’t know enough about the riders in question to care. I see it all the time where well known riders get tons of views while amazing riding by unknowns goes mostly ignored. This isn’t a unique phenomenon, in fact it occurs in every niche and walk of life when there is a battle for online attention; the cream rises to the top and it’s eternally tough to get noticed unless you’re already established.

But is LZ the harbinger of death for all of BMX’s traditions? I don’t think so, I just think he’s been the best so far at capturing and encapsulating what the average BMX consumer wants from their idols. The kids want a connection. It’s great that you can crook a 20 stair rail, but what does that really mean to a viewer unless they know what your personality is like? The BMX industry loves pumping out polished 3 minute video parts that make riders look like superhumans who never fall, speak or do much of anything besides grind stuff and then ride away silently, but is that enough?

That’s why I think things like podcasts and webisodes are important. You don’t need any assistance to appreciate a Devon Smillie video part, but how much better is that section once you’ve watched him talk on camera for an hour and can vouch for the fact that he’s a great guy with a positive outlook? One time I filmed an Instagram Slam (embedded above) and included footage of some kid trying to feeble a little ledge. You can see us cheering him on and he almost cries once he pulls it. I’ve had hundreds of people mention this specific clip to me as something they really loved because it showed that the OSS/Common crew as regular people, happy to help a young kid learn a basic trick. That’s the kind of depth and personality that most BMX videos are lacking, and LZ’s videos are full of these kind of moments.

Is the video part dead, doomed to be replaced by the webisode? I highly doubt it, I see the two as separate genres that can play off of each other but which are so different that they’re not really competing for the same attention. Most of TCU’s most popular videos on YouTube are traditional video parts and full length video projects. We shouldn’t be quick to assume that the emergence of a new video format is going to eliminate the video part as we know it, even though it may not be as obvious to the upcoming generation of BMX riders why video parts are important. It seems to me that good, young bike riders usually gravitate towards conventions like the video part even though they innately understand the value of say, filming a How To or a Bike Check in a way that isn’t so obvious to older riders.

One thing that we can all hopefully agree on is that it is important for BMX to grow, and there is no denying that Adam LZ gets more kids into riding bikes than anyone else by an order of magnitude. BMX appears to be in a recession, and perhaps instead of trashing LZ and Stranger’s decision to support him, the BMX industry should be looking at Adam’s approach and asking themselves if maybe he knows something that they don’t. The spectrum of hobbies available to a young kid has splintered into a million different potential paths and BMX is now just one of many options. If the industry wants to keep kids on bikes, it needs to stop acting tough, let it’s guard down and meet those young riders where they are, on their own terms.

—

If you say 22 really fast it sounds like LZ. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and check out my BMX podcast, you should probably listen to in your car and/or headphones.

Comments

How do I listen to your podcast? Are they just the videos on YouTube or is there another place? I love them!

I couldn’t believe the child-ness of this all when I first heard. I had a lot of thoughts about it.

You touched on a lot of good points, I can’t disagree with anything you said, really. You mentioned how the younger kids today look at Augie and say “I want to be that”, but, when they’re Augie’s age. LZ relates to the kids now, mainly because he fits into the 18-24 demographic, whch we all know with the availability of iPhones, iPads, etc. to younger kids, that demographic is probably more like 15-24. People in their late-20s, though still riding, aren’t the main contributors to the BMX world. Whether anyone likes it or not, it’s like everything else in the world, as time moves on, and you get older, someone younger is going to come up and be better, do things differently, and excel at technology of the time.

LZ grabbed the YouTube world in a much different way than ANYONE else, even ones who aren’t BMX channels. The focusing on cars and tuning is also a huge niche, just look at half the guys at OSS – I know Quan, Hicks, Alf, Wulf, and others have big car passions. As a person who has been a Porsche Instructor for years, and a person who has grown up with a dad who was one of the biggest Porsche and Ferrari racers in the country, the car world is very tight knit, and you relate to other car people when you find them. He has a crazy amount of enthusiasm and energy, which many probably perceive as “nerdy and annoying”. He’s still a kid, though, and we have to remember how amped we were about things at that age. Think of the money he makes, the notoriety he has, all for being himself and posting videos he thinks people will like. He takes a positive approach by not promoting alcohol, weed, or anything else that a 20-year-old probably shouldn’t be doing. Parents in turn have no issues with their kids watching his site, and thus, promoting his products – shirts, hats, etc.

As far as LZ joining Stranger, as soon as I heard, in my head I said ‘Gabe, Ricany, Augie, Quan’ and immediately knew ONE of these dudes wasn’t going to be OK with it. But then I realized that Gabe had his show, and enjoys burnouts in cars, and living a good life, Ricany loves his Benz and living a good life, and Quan loves his cars and living a good life. Sounds like things LZ likes, sounds like things he has in common with his team mates, something they can talk about other than hate, cigarettes, and weed.

Aside from whether or not you think it was a good idea for Augie to leave, it showed us how not to do things. He acted like a jealous sibling, took it to the internet, and bashed the already burnt bridge he crossed. LZ is on Stranger, he’s not running it. He still has LZ BMX, he still has his own YouTube channel, all that’s been added is a sponsor. And, I’m sorry, at one point all of you need to stop saying “it’s not about the money.” You think shit is free? You think shit doesn’t cost money? How do you pay for gas? Money. How do you pay for BMX parts? Money. You don’t want to not have to worry about bills? Eat food? Pay for your mom’s new house? Buy a reliable car? Live on your own? People who say “it’s not about the money” don’t have any money, and are jealous of anyone who does. The whole point of ANYTHING is to get money, get chicks, and have fun. Once you start blaming and pointing fingers, lashing out and swearing, it’s a sign you’ve realized your time is done. Welcome to Stranger, LZ!

I think that beneath this phenomon, the generation gap, there is another question. You (Adam22) hit on it well when you describe the average “BMX consumer”. You are right that the younger generation in bmx is very consumption oriented, and adam LZ plays into that desire for consumable material very well. I think that the older generation in bmx laments the fact that bmx is becoming a consumer product just like anything else. I think that older generations saw bmx as something outside the consumer world. They saw value in bmx that you couldn’t just buy. Bmx was a way to create social connections and feel like one was a part of a larger community. It was loved for its intrinsic value. BMX wasn’t cool cuz it got girls’ attention for you, it was cool because it was fun, it was a pure way for people to enjoy and make use of their environment. Adam LZ on the other hand, appears on the surface like someone who wants to get rich off of bmx (his obnoxious brand and relentless self promotion) or at least someone who explicitly desires to use bmx as a tool to elevate their own status. The older generation in bmx seems to believe that you should ride because you think its tight, and if the community decides that you are the type of rider that deserves recognition (for your skill or creativity) then you can have it. The older generation frowns upon self promotion

He’s 28 Jesus he could’ve been more mature about I get why he left but its like he wanted a bang but it was just a flag that read bang.

People say, “Adam LZ represents kids and thus should be shunned” when majority of his viewers are mid/late teens who can adventure like him or at least think about the same things daily, as him. Of course he’s going to have pre-teens and fresh teens as well. He talks fasts, and at one point was always sticking gummy worms in the camera. But saying he reps kids and dissing the kids, is just plain ignorance, when these very kids are the ones whose parents are purchasing the frames to support half-dead companies and barely-alive local shops to keep the industry going.

I’m somewhat half and half with feelings towards Adam Lz. Just because he talks fast. So annoying bro. Seriously! But I get from his videos what I don’t get from video parts or company clips anymore… And that is the feeling as if I’m there with the riders. Back when I use to watch skate parts like Alien Workshop’s Photosynthesis, and the DC video and the various DC trips(“King Of…” series anyone?) and many other companies, like Girl/Chocolate and so on, there was this feeling as tho you were with the pros… Heck..like you WERE A PRO! I don’t get that anymore. But these webisodes deliver that. When I first watched Josh James back in Web1, I felt like I was living in England FFS! Then when LZ started his webisode backyard clips, felt like I was bunking with them.

I’m fairly new to the BMX scene. Just 4 years into it. But I’ve been apart of Action sports since the late 90s, early 2000s. What this “older generation” of Bmx is experiencing is change. Might be with 2 persons(Josh and LZ), but these two carry a heavy weight of fan following that eclipse basically all Pros, that their movement causes a large enough impact to upset people who don’t want change. Those who are too inert in a lifestyle that seems to be moving away from them. It’s like leaving Windows XP. Microsoft had to literally bully people to GTFO and move on. Change is a hard thing to adjust to. Especially when it’s been 3/4 of your life. But the audience controls the industry. Without sales, companies have to close down, local shops will have to close, because believe it or not, bills do have to get paid. I definitely want those video releases with those heavy hitters. But webisodes are just as sufficient, or maybe more. It’s like one long day/s in the life…every week/month/whatever! Couldn’t ask for more.
Wouldn’t you want G. Reynolds to make webisodes? I wouldn’t miss a minute!

Anything or anyone that is making bmx more positive is a good thing imo.
LZ is probably more immature than an annoying or abnoxious person, time will tell. But in the meantime, while bmx is receiving the benefits of Adam’s popularity, why the hell wouldn’t you support that?

Augies the shit, FUCK adam lz
real BEERBOY SHIT

Really interesting, and i share the same ideas for a while..but it’s not easy for a old media to adapt to kids that are younger as the media (17yo), or generally for an adult (37yo) to adapt to kids (like a dad who tries to understand his kid new habits). I personnaly fail as i have hard time letting my ego be the central point of the communication, transmission of some values or infos.

there is many questions to go along this topic, we could talk forever, and that’s good from you to have this conversation (i am too lazy to do so) ; like for instance the gap between the street riding and the park riding, wich seems to me as important as the age or the pot/non pot talk.

The media topic is heavy too, you’re totally right, personnalities, celebrities are more important than oldschool media, and i am impressed how you manage that as well for yourselft and tcu & co…i could never do that myself, or to soulbmxmag, i have too much of a admiration for what brought me to ride bmx and to what drove me all these years promoting this passion, that i couldn’t participate to make it be like another mainstream circus.

But i respect the one who do it and promote bmx in general, because it’s simply less worse (i didn’t say better) than playing all day video games, but surely i can’t do it myself, and so is coming nearer the time to retire from this new world of bmx, this new world of media in general.

Time to shut down the computer and go dig !

ben bello
editor of soulbmxmag

LZ got me into riding about a year ago if it wasn’t for him I don’t know what i would be doing right now other than focusing on school and sports. BMX gives me something to do on my spare time and it gives me a chance to show that everyone is special in their own way. Unless u live in a place where there are no spots to ride or u just get kicked out of every spot that u do go ride. You just need to learn how to make your ride worth your time. Ride with some friends go have fun with them go to different towns to different skateparks with each other. That’s exactly what LZ does before i started riding all i did was play video games and it gets boring now i can go ride with some friends and do whatever. Anyways what im saying is, is that LZ is a great role model for all of this he has fun to entertain his viewers and he tries to inspire us which u can tell works

Both are good, both so differ by psychological type and both are started in different decades, this is what caused gap. Once where were less parks and media just started arise. Rides were rough and underground oriented. Slowly media progress gave opportunity to people of another type to drawn to BMX. This is what gave a huge kickoff to develop new generation. I think major cause of “conflict” is fundamental psychological difference and motivation.
I personally enjoy to watch videos of people with riding skills similar to mine or at least close to my age. For me tricks make less sense, but more atmosphere and effort applied to that trick.
Bottom line – leave the bullshit away, do what is better for you and respect the others :-)

“Many people have tried to copy lz’s content and failed” like you?

Augie doesn’t own Stranger. Your an employee. They owner can hire whoever they want. There’s bills to pay like flying you all over the world to ride your bike. Stop being a bitch. You’re getting paid to ride a bike! You’re not working the fryer at McDonalds.

Fair enough to augie he wasnt happy with the fact that stranger made the decission to sign lz but it isnt his fucking company ! He is meirly a pawn withing the company if he isnt happy then he can leave and hope he can fond another outlet in bmx but to react how he has a hate on someone else within the bmx comunity for helping it grow is ridiculous and to throw what the company have done for you back in there face like really ? “Fuck the $500 go choke on it” or whatever irelivant shit came out of his mouth $500 to ride your bike and do your hobby as a career instead of sitting in an office all day with a few hours left to ride within the week ? Discrasefull if you ask me

Rant over

swerve.

Just curious, why didn’t anyone point the finger when Gabe brooks starred on a tv show? but everyone looses their cool about a bike company hiring a bike rider? It was a smart move for stranger seeing as how LZ can reach thousands of potential customers where as Augie was really only able to appeal to people who are already invested in bmx to some degree.

it’s kind of funny though that augie finds it to be a big deal that Adam is like this better person it’s kind of like how a older brother feels when the younger brother is getting more attention.

This is great, Adam. I feel like the come up has been responsible for the “too cool/tough” bmx image. Making it acceptable to promote substance abuse to an audience generally consisted of young teens, which can arguably be a contributor to the “recession” bmx is currently in.
For you to show your respect and note someone like Adam LZ, whom is the complete opposite… That’s really awesome and is a good step into getting BMX heading into a direction more suitable for young kids, teens, etc. leading to more parents accepting BMX in which we can all agree on will help BMX Grow.

I’m really psyched for Adam, because he’s pushing the industry in such a positive direction. Nothing would get me as excited to ride my bike, as watching an edit of my friends, and I. He captures it.

I respect old ways and believe that we should always remember our past ( Bmx past). But at the same time be able to move forward in a manner where both can be respected. Bmx is a business and has to go with the punches sometimes.

There is no argument against LZ. Augie is a sick rider, sure. But there is nothing he can do Lz can’t, more to the point he will bring alot of attention strangers way. Why wouldn’t they sign him?

I think quitting a team over someone else joining is extremely childish. You could have kept on killing it but instead you chose to break things off abruptly and not on good terms witch is obviously going to be a major factor when you go to get another sponsor. Atleast leave on good terms so you don’t look like such a little bitch.

I really don’t understand this whole thing. Augie and Adam were put on stranger for the same reasons. They both love bmx, are very good at it and most of all do it for the fun of it not for the fame or other perks being a pro rider gives you. They may be two completely different people but they do what they do for the same exact reason, for the love of the sport. I haven’t watched the interview with Augie yet because of class but hopefully it will clear some things up.

Honestly why would Augie go to the extent to say fuck the company who goes to the extent of excepting you on they’re team #fuckaugie #augiedoesnotdeserveasponser

You’re so right with all of this, but in particular, Adam reaching out to a younger audience and making it seem so much more inviting aye. He makes it seem more ‘do-able’ because you do see them havng fun and crashing and failing and just generally having a good time, and that’s what kids want to love about it, the real-ness and achievability of it all really. They need to see it’s not this big scary thing, that all you can do with BMX is girnd rails down 15/20 stairs and do massive vert walls and shit, they need to see something down to earth to motivate them to try new shit and not be pissed off when they can’t land a trick because no landing one ‘isn’t not the pro way’, yah feel me?

That was so cringeworthy

Well said Adam…..people need to be open minded about LZ. I’ve rode from the early 80s till now…in my opinion if you don’t like him don’t watch him…but the fact that he has the kids attention is what is good….you need the kids involved because the turn into us..the older riders..if they have great experiences when they ride they will pass that on to other riders….as a rider in the over 30 club Ive always rode with younger guys. I see the difference from both sides cause I’m that kid and now that older riders who up until a few years ago didn’t like The Come Up for the same reason… They were changing my BMX experience… But they are not…And now I have major respect for what Adam22 and tcu does for the world of Bmx…..no different for Adam LZ….its fresh in Bmx…it’ll take time …but to have more relative experiences with riders on webisodes I see why kids dig it…the availability to visually hang with a rider/pro and be apart of his life for a little bit of time would have a huge influence.
I could talk about this for awhile…
Mike Zinger nailed it too….plus I’m biased cause we ride together lol

Good article Adam. I no longer BMX due to injury but still watch videos. I see both sides but must say LZ is engaging and that is what it takes. Regardless of presence within a sport, those who engage with and cultivate their fanbase will rise to the top – in numbers at least, not necessarily in integrity. But what is integrity in BMX? Is it as with Simoncini, who will remain intimidating in the eyes of some young fans (a distant father figure if you will) or LZ, a relatable entity that is ready to show weakness on camera (an amicable brother figure, if you will)?

With regards to the generation gap, there are those like DMC, Hoffman and Nyquist who still maintain a brotherly aspect to their fatherly stature over the sport and its young fans, so it is in navigating the trends of his personal life and decisions regarding the manner in which he chooses to present himself that will affect how well Simoncini, and any other rider at any one point perplexed by this reflexive consideration as to sculpting themselves, continues to gel with each succeeding generation of BMX riders.

Not every child with an interest in BMX will consider themselves able to gel with the urban culture epitomised by Simoncini and his peers (note the awkward sorts caught on the edges of film at street jam videos etc), or at least not as many as can gel with LZ’s openness and (albeit slightly irritating) joviality on camera. So, while he will be considered more boring (whether or not this is due to his clean-cut appearance and the urge of youth to be rebellious) he will be more popular.

Everyone hating on LZ are a bunch of haters that are scared of change. I dont know who the fuck augie is but LZ did a damn good job of letting me know who he is.

Dosent make a diffrence to me. Ive watched some of Lz’s videos and Im not ttat much of a fan. I dont take after any of the “Pros” My father doing a tailwhip was enough to get me bmxing. Respect to both riders because I think anyone that wants to ride can be able to ride . No matter who there idol is . Why dont we bring these 2 communitys together and make a new one?

LZ is not my era but with the lack of waiting for the new magazine and Props videos got to get your fix somehow. Wonder what riders think about how FBM runs there team ever since they lost there heavy hitters.

There was quite a lot of animosity between the so-called “hard-core” riders and the “up-and-coming” Ryan Nyquist when he was getting a lot of media attention in the mid 90’s. He was young, talented, showy, obnoxious and excited about BMX. He was any sponsor’s dream, and that prompted jealousy and fear from the dedicated BMX riders of the time.

Being an older rider myself (older than Augie), I’ve seen it happen a number of times in our sport. The new school kids show up and threaten to change the thing we love, and have built our lives around, and it really shakes us up. The only thing I’ve come to realize is that 1) Even though the sport changes the fundamental fact that “riding bikes is fun” never does. And 2) people are different, and some of them like the same things I do but in different ways and for different reasons. This doesn’t make them wrong or affect my enjoyment of that thing.

I don’t know if that is what’s happening in this situation. Maybe (probably) there’s more to this story than any of us will fully know, but it’s interesting either way.

Everyone needs to just grow up were talking about grown men who are paid to ride a bike crying over a kid who is on the team now. How do you not expect that to happen?

please dont take my weed b-roll away

I think that being a fundamentalist conservative in BMX is a pretty irrelevant stance to take. I think that Rich has done more for BMX than most people, he has orchestrated and single handedly brought back a BMX company which, quite frankly, was 99% done for. I think that appreciation has gone unnoticed and that his decision to add Adam is probably the most genius marketing technique I’ve seen in quite a long time and is putting stranger deeper into the spotlight. I think it’s great, fuck anyone else. BMX isn’t a sport we need to shelter. We need to let the plant grow. And no, I’m not talking about weed. Not weed.

I find it kind of funny that you are talking about a generation gap between 20 and 28, especially being a 46 year old that has been riding for over 35 years. There will never be a true understanding of what riding is. This is because it is different things to different people. This is a good thing. The thing that will truly push the sport into bigger and better things will be to embrace ALL of riding. Style guys hating trick guys and vice versa does nothing but support a closed minded view of an open minded way of life. Hating on a video or person because he isn’t like you is not doing the sport any favors. I rode all through the recession of the 80s and signs point to this happening again. It won’t be as bad (hopefully) but the key is to keep riders riding and attract more people to the sport. This involves both of these kinds of riders.

I don’t think some people do want the sport to grow to be honest. Its the older generation of riders like Augie that seem to have a problem with its evolution, I don’t know what it is but there’s something about him in video parts that makes him come across as a colossal cunt that thinks if you’re on a bike, you need to be riding amazingly well and hitting 20 stair rails, he just comes across as the type of guy who’d take the piss out of someone trying to feeble a flat ledge for the first time, instead of helping them out, its like he’s the type of person who goes “Why did you spend all the money on a BMX when you can’t ride” when really that shouldn’t be an issue, who gives a shit if they’re running everyones sig parts but can only 180? They’ve pumped money into BMX and if they’ve spent that much on they’re obviously very passionate about it, its a good thing to happen, and I will never understand why people slate on it.

I think its how video parts are made, and how the older generation are shown off, its like they’re glorified for being dicks. I used the think the exact same shit about the OSS crew until you started making webisodes, and it turns out you’re a really sound bunch of lads who just write sarcy comments about drinking and drugs and shit haha. For an example I remember writing a comment on an LZ post a few years ago when I’d just got into riding saying I’d hate to ride around the OSS lot because they all seem like dicks who’d take the piss out of me for being shit. I think you actually replied to it if I remember saying you’re not like it at all, and after watching you make webisodes and stuff I believe you.

I may be completely wrong about Augie, but leaving Stranger because LZ has been signed hasn’t really shown me that my opinion of him is wrong, it just seems like a spoilt little kid attitude to have, like “Oh things aren’t going the way they used to at this thing I’m still really good at, better bitch and rant about it and leave the company” if he’s gonna have that attitude about its evolution he can fuck right off out of the sport.

nice article adam, brings light to the recent hype. seems like augie has a personal problem because lz is so popular that he changes a brand once he gets added to the team. and for him to say rich is a horrible person and bash a company that has supported him is really quite immature. something bmx doesnt need is shit talkers who dont push the sport. also i believe that everyone can co-exist in bmx whether your a straight edge younger guy, a pothead older guy, or any combination of all of it.

The comparison between the two different ends of the spectrum is undoubtabley an interesting one. Badass dont give a fuck attitude will never be unappreciated in BMX. I support Augie and completely see where he’s coming from because who would want to ride for a brand that doesnt relate to how they feel BMX should be portrayed? At the same time Adam does a great job at portraying BMX to everyone (people who may not be completely thrilled to get raw). They obviously coxist and thats it. The hate and dramatic life stories talking about which side is better is the bull shit. You dont have to be one side or the other. These guys are who they are but there is room for everyone in BMX who is doing there own thing. The minute you hate on someone trying to do their own thing is the day you lose touch. There is no “proper” way to portray BMX. Breaking the rules is what its all about. Ironically LZ is doing it.

these posts are funt o read

…..according to the same logic, Maclemore is the best rapper alive

I think he is just portraying what BMX is for everyone, having fun riding and goofing off. People gravitated towards Road Fools because before social media, you could see a personal side to your favourite riders and it made them even more relatable and likeable.

Adam LZ has worked fuck hard for 7 years of YouTube he started with just him and Cody making how-to’s and now look at him, he’s fucking worked hard to get where he is, people are saying he’s a rich spoiled kid, your more than wrong if you say that. he’s gone to college and he still is at college he is working hard to be even more successful. Lz has always pushed to be a postitive roll model to younger kids, not some dude that smokes weed I front of kids and gets drunk, he’s a responsible rider and human being. I’m glad he got sponsored cause it gives bmx a positive look.

“It’s great that you can crook a 20 stair rail, but what does that really mean to a viewer unless they know what your personality is like?” This sentience is fucked! We watch edits to watch sick things and a 20 stair crook is respectable whether or not you know the personality of the rider. And FUCK, personality on internet is a joke. Anyone can fake being something for viewers, its called acting.

Augie is real street rider. LZ is a rich sheltered suburban white kid who now is probably the highest paid rider on stranger. I would be pissed too..

As part of the ‘older generation’ I don’t really get LZ’s popularity. And honestly I don’t think he’s quite polished his riding enough to earn a spot on a team as stacked as stranger. But that’s debatable… On the other hand, despite us being the same age, I don’t agree with the way Augie handled things. Bmx was always a sport for the individual. And back in the day it seemed a little more inclusive. I rode street brakeless and my friends rode dirt, and park but everyone rode together, didn’t matter what style.

This isn’t football. There’s not one way to ride. And if you get all butt hurt about kids representing their version of the sport and not yours, you’re being narrow-minded.

I’ve been riding bmx for more than 10 years and still don’t know who augie is except as that random section in deadline and seeing his name pop up once in a blue moon. But to be fair there is a lot of riders I’d put in the same boat and I agree there is a clash of generations going on. With bmx being run mostly by these older generation individuals I’ve always been saying they are doing it wrong. What other sports markets to 25+ dead beat borderline acholics and pot heads. How would you ever get those freshly converted scooter kids and 16 year olds with their huff clothing really hyped on bmx if your basically telling them you want nothing to do with them with the current approach. If I was a soccer mom I’d way more hyped on my kid watching Adam Lz then someone like augi. And let’s be honest giving today’s youth what they want and can relate to really dosnt effect the other bmx demographics and will only help more people get into the sport where then can than chose there direction they want to take with it.

I’ll congratulate you on trying to make Augi sound like a good guy, but he’s just irrelevant. Who the hell is talking about “Augi” in bmx? When I was 16, I wasn’t even acknowledging Augi unless I was watching deadline. Augi is just another closed minded rider that doesn’t want bmx to be anything more than an underground niche that bums partake in. He doesn’t even push the sport in any way. Lz on the other hand provides good entertainment and riding while showing things that goes on in his life that in turn glamourizes bmx.

Keeping it real here.. Respect to both Augie and LZ, without the OG’s we wouldn’t have a new generation, respect to anyone that works hard enough to make something of himself from riding a bike. We live in a small enough community that we all affect/influence each other in some way or another. Ride everything, ride with everyone and live a more interesting/passionate life then the regular human!!!

I would like to add my 2 cents as a mom of an 11 year old boy. My son Carson fell in love with BMX roughly 3 years ago. Some of his best friends are covered in tatoos, smoke pot and talk like filthy sailors. But as a mom, I’m not too concerned because my son chose Adam LZ to be his BMX idol. He wears his helmet because Adam does, he likes that Adam LZ does not promote drugs or alchohol. My son watches tons of youtube videos of different BMX riders, but LZ is hands down his favorite. Santa even got ahold of Adam 2 years ago, and Adam sent Carson a signed bike seat and a personalized letter. That won my Carson’s heart. We drove to his Pepper Jam in CT a few months back, and Adam was as down to earth as my next door neighbor. He talked to all the kids and showed lots of true kindness. He is one great guy, and I just may be an even bigger fan of him than my son!

Submit to TCU BMX

The Come Up is BMX's most popular website and the only site you need to keep up on BMX videos, news and more.